The SDSU wrestling team fought through three duals over the weekend, dropping two contests but picking up their first Division I win of the season as a team.

The Jackrabbits opened the weekend at Edwardsville, Ill., losing a dual to Indiana, 30-8, before returning to knock off the home-standing Cougars of Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, 25-15. SDSU also fell to the University of Northern Iowa, 25-12.

The Hoosiers took the first two matches by decision before SDSU got on the board at 141 pounds. Dustin Walraven, back in the lineup after an injury, took the decision at that weight by a score of 12-6.

Indiana added a fall at 149 pounds to build a lead, which proved important as Nick Flynn and Dillon Reid posted back-to-back decisions at 157 and 165 pounds. Flynn held on for a tight 3-2 win, while Reid won by a 6-1 margin.

The Hoosiers would go on to dominate the rest of the match, scoring a fall, technical fall, major decision and decision in the final four matches.

 

SDSU 25, SIUE12

Later the Jacks would take on the host Cougars and SDSU got off on the right foot, as SIU-Edwardsville forfeited at 125 pounds. The Cougars took the next two matches by decision and fall before SDSU started a run of its own. Andrew Youngblom, also back from injury, started the streak with a 7-4 decision at 149 pounds.

Flynn and Reid continued the streak and capped off their nights in fashion, improving to 2-0 on the day with major decisions at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively.

SIUE scored two decisions, but Nick Mart sealed the victory for the Jacks with an 8-4 decision at 197 pounds. SDSU pulled away in score with a Cougar forfeit at heavyweight.

“We wrestled tough, but failed to execute at key times,” head coach Jason Liles said. “We won three matches against a Big Ten opponent and had other opportunities. We made the SIUE dual hard on ourselves, but fought back to get the win.”

 

UNI 25, SDSU 12

SDSU hasn’t defeated UNI in wrestling in 29 years and that streak will have to continue for another year after the Panthers defeated the Jacks, 25-12 in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Feb. 5.

The Jacks started the dual on fire, as Aaron Pickrel scored a fall in the first match at 125 pounds. Pickrel deferred to start the second period, his opponent chose down and Pickrel recorded the fall 3:36 into the match.

Dustin Walraven added to the SDSU lead at 141 pounds with a 2-0 decision. Walraven scored an escape in the second period and held the riding time advantage for his points.

The Panthers rattled off three straight decisions, two of which came by three points or less.

Joe Rasmussen drew the Jacks within one team point with a 10-5 decision at 174 pounds. Rasmussen scored a takedown early in the first period and did not relinquish his lead, recording the three points to move the match score to 13-12.

The one-point deficit was the closest SDSU would get, though, as UNI took the next three matches by technical fall, decision and major decision.

The Jacks drop to 4-6 overall, 0-3 in the Western Wrestling Conference.